Today more than ever, retailers that lack a multi-channel commerce and marketing strategy operate at their own peril.

To prove the point, Baynote has just published results from its 4th Annual Holiday Online Shopping Survey.

The study was conducted to probe consumer behavior and key buying influencers across various retail channels, including physical stores, eCommerce websites, social networks, tablets and mobile devices.

“This year’s holiday survey clearly demonstrates that consumers, driven by millennials, are challenging retailers to deliver an exceptional experience,” said Marti Tedesco, senior director of marketing at Baynote. “For retailers, this means creating a seamless customer experience across all devices that is integrated with in-store shopping activities. Retailers who meet or exceed these consumer demands will flourish while others will fall behind.”

Mobile usage, the data shows, accelerated across the board as branded apps started to exert real influence.

Thirty-four percent of shoppers, for example, made a purchase on a retail-branded app, an increase of 48 percent from 2012.

Sixty-two percent of consumers also used a smartphone to compare prices while shopping in a store while 61 percent redeemed a mobile coupon during in-store checkout; 43 percent of respondents used a tablet for the former, and 44 percent used a tablet for the latter.

“It’s no surprise that mobile thrived this holiday season, as shoppers turned to personal devices for everything from researching products to redeeming coupons,” added Tedesco. “What is really interesting is that the smartphone has become the bridge between the online and in-store experience. This has major ramifications on the investments that retailers should make in cross-channel tools. As the millennial generation continues to exert its influence, retailers must respond with mobile technologies that drive a cohesive customer experience.”